21st n Beech
Location
Fiends, fixes and critics skit
all quick t- shift their feet
toll road hits ditches, chickens n’
pigs [pens inattentively stitched in the streets.]
Everywhere you go: it's "bitch!"
"hoe!" or, "fuck police!"
til eyes come 2 close–and I sit frozen stiff
amidst a lit midnight sky, and Siren cries in my sleep.
“Rise and shine! Rise and shine! Today
we’ll see sunny skies and a high of 89!”
That’s funny… why? Couldn’t even play
outside: no parades, it just rained on the ladies in line.
Wonder what kind of welfare for the well ain’t fair? Who wins:
the greedy white guy, or gal in need with the skin of trees?
Off of office ramps tramps rant like ants
as they jam into the food stampede.
Dolla sto’ liquor sto’
–a sto’ that sells phones;
hair, nails, n’ knock-offs
–misspelled brands on clothes;
at the corner Hometown’s sign reads: Welocme!
across from penny-pickers, projects and abandoned homes
–the only irony is: if you wanna stay in Steel City for a vacation,
then probation is just might how you’ll go.